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Despite having its No. 1 playoff seeding and the 2019 Supporters Shield secured, Los Angeles FC opted for a strong starting lineup as it looked to add another mark: the all-time record for points in an MLS season. It was also an opportunity for LAFC striker Carlos Vela to break the all-time record for goals scored in a season.

LAFC broke both.

Bob Bradley’s side defeated the Colorado Rapids 3-1 at Banc of California Stadium, snuffing out the slim chance the Rapids at making the playoffs entering Major League Soccer’s Decision Day.

With the win, LAFC set an all-time record of 72 points for the season and Vela’s hat trick gave the Mexican International 34 regular-season goals. Josef Martinez held the previous record after scoring 30 goals in 2018.

Vela opened the scoring with a laser from outside the 18-yard box into the upper 90, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute. Moments later, Vela made it 2-0, collecting a pass from Tristan Blackmon inside the six-yard box, spinning and then hitting a bicycle kick to score the brace.

It was indicative of the offensive pressure Colorado had absorbed for the opening half hour. But in the 40th minute, the Rapids pulled a goal back. Kei Kamara’s header off a Diego Rubio cross helped Colorado pull the score to 2-1 before halftime.

LAFC extended its lead again and Vela completed a hat trick by slotting home a low cross from Blackmon for a 3-1 advantage in the 51st minute.

In the 65th minute, LAFC defender Walker Zimmerman collided with Kamara and sustained a head injury, prompting his substitution for Lee Nguyen in the 70th minute.

LAFC closed out the win and ended the match outshooting its opponent 15-10 while holding 64 percent possession.

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With the loss, Colorado’s season comes to a close and the 3-1 result will stand as goalkeeper Tim Howard’s final match as a player. The 40-year-old tallied two saves in the effort.

As the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed entering the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, LAFC will play its next match on either Oct. 23 or 24, hosting the winner of the first-round match between No. 4 seed Minnesota United and No. 5 seed LA Galaxy, a series which will take place the weekend of Oct. 19.

The post LAFC sets records on Decision Day, eliminates Colorado Rapids from playoff picture appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

The final week of the MLS regular season is upon us, which means there’s one more week for team to move up, or down, the Pro Soccer USA power rankings.

Week 30 of the regular season brought the expected drama, with teams clinching playoff berths and Concacaf Champions League spots. But what does it mean in our power rankings?

Minnesota United, following a draw with Supporters’ Shield winners LAFC, moved up two spots to No. 3, while the Colorado Rapids made the biggest noise, jumping four places after a stunning 3-0 win over FC Dallas that kept their slim playoff hopes alive.

The Major League Soccer Power Rankings are created by averaging the rankings submitted by a committee of Pro Soccer USA’s editors and writers.

(1) Los Angeles Football Club (20-4-9, 69 points): Carlos Vela tied the MLS single-season scoring record and LAFC secured the Supporters’ Shield in a four-point week. (2) New York City FC (17-6-10, 61 points): Alexandru Mitrita struck for a hat trick in a 4-1 win over Atlanta, which was followed by a 2-0 loss at New England. But NYCFC still clinched first in the East. (5) Minnesota United (15-10-8, 53 points): After a win at Banc of California Stadium, the Loons tied LAFC 1-1 at Allianz Field with Michael Boxall heading in the equalizer. (3) Atlanta United (17-12-4, 55 points): A 1-1 draw in Montreal followed that stunning loss in the Bronx for Atlanta, which can still finish second in the East. (4) Philadelphia Union (16-10-7, 55 points): An emotional rally in the midweek against Portland was followed by a flat performance in a 2-0 loss at Columbus. (8) Seattle Sounders FC (15-10-8, 53 points): Jordan Morris struck for the 94th-minute winner in a 1-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes that moved the Sounders level on points with second-place Minnesota ahead of a tasty Decision Day clash. (6) D.C. United (13-10-10, 49 points): D.C. United made it four consecutive clean sheets with a 0-0 draw against the rival Red Bulls, giving Ben Olsen’s side the edge to finish fourth place in the East. (7) LA Galaxy (16-14-3, 51 points): The Galaxy were brought back to earth a bit with a shocking 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps. A similar result against Houston on Decision Day could bounce them from a home playoff game. (9) New York Red Bulls (14-13-6, 48 points): The Red Bulls haven’t conceded a goal in three games, but they failed to score against D.C. United and it might cost them a home playoff game. (11) Real Salt Lake (15-13-5, 50 points): Jefferson Savarino scored the 75th-minute winner in Nick Rimando’s final regular season game at Rio Tinto Stadium. The victory over the Dynamo also clinched a playoff spot. (13) New England Revolution (11-10-12, 45 points): Gustavo Bou scored a beauty of a chip and Matt Turner was a beast as the Revs defeated NYCFC 2-0 to clinch a playoff berth. (10) Toronto FC (12-10-11, 47 points): Omar Gonzalez headed in the equalizer in the 80th minute as Toronto FC drew the Chicago Fire to extend an unbeaten streak to 10 matches. (16) Colorado Rapids (12-15-6, 42 points): The Rapids are still alive thanks to a 3-0 win over FC Dallas, their fourth victory in their last five games. Colorado needs a win at LAFC, a bit of help, to clinch an unlikely playoff berth. (14) Portland Timbers (13-13-7, 46 points): The Timbers didn’t get the win they desperately wanted, but they’re still alive for a playoff spot after back-to-back draws against New England and Sporting KC. (15) FC Dallas (12-12-9, 45 points): It’s four straight games without a win for FC Dallas, who are clinging to seventh place in the West ahead of a Decision Day clash with Sporting Kansas City. (12) San Jose Earthquakes (13-15-5, 44 points): The Quakes are confident, but they can book a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs despite going into the final regular season game against the Portland Timbers on a five-match losing streak. (17) Chicago Fire (9-12-12, 39 points): The final game at SeatGeek Stadium was an entertaining one, with Aleksandar Katai and Fabian Hebers scoring nine minutes apart in the second half. But the Revs home win over NYCFC meant the Fire would miss out on the postseason yet again. (20) Columbus Crew SC (10-15-8, 38 points): Despite being eliminated from postseason contention, the Crew extended an unbeaten run to five following a 2-0 win over the Union.  (19) Montreal Impact (11-17-5, 38 points): Bojan scored an 81st-minute equalizer in a 1-1 home draw against Atlanta United for the Impact, who will again miss the MLS Cup playoffs. (18) Orlando City SC (9-14-10, 37 points): The Lions search for a first playoff berth will reach a sixth year after a 1-1 draw with FC Cincinnati. (21) Sporting Kansas City (10-15-8, 38 points): A four-match losing streak was snapped as SKC battled, quite literally, the Timbers in a 2-2 draw. (23) Vancouver Whitecaps FC (8-15-10, 34 points): They’ve already been eliminated from playoff contention, but the Whitecaps made it three matches without a defeat following a wild 3-2 win over the LA Galaxy. (22) Houston Dynamo (11-18-4, 37 points): Tomas Martinez scored a 32nd-minute equalizer, but the Dynamo conceded a 75th-minute winner to fall at Real Salt Lake 2-1. (24) FC Cincinnati (6-22-5, 23 points): Allan Cruz scored the opening goal, but FC Cincinnati drew Orlando City 1-1.

Pro Soccer USA writers Dylan Butler, Julian Cardillo, Marco Cummings, Chris Fuhrmeister, Robert Jonas, Emily Olsen and Joe Tansey contributed to this report.

The post MLS Power Rankings Week 30: Minnesota United moves up to No. 3 appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

Alexandru Mitrita and Jordan Morris have been huge down the stretch for their respective clubs to lock them into the MLS Cup playoffs.

Mitrita’s hat trick against Atlanta United helped New York City FC move one giant step closer to clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference, while Morris is on a roll with a trio of goals since the start of September. 

Their recent performances landed them into the top 10 of the Pro Soccer USA MLS Player Rankings. 

The players at the top remain the same, but there are some new entrants at the bottom, including one from a team with an outside chance of qualifying for the playoffs. 

Our player rankings take into account performances over the last four weeks, with the most-recent showing carrying more weight. 

20. Allan Cruz, M, FC Cincinnati 

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked 

Allan Cruz has been a bright spot for FC Cincinnati as it stumbles to the finish line in its first season.

The Costa Rican midfielder scored in his second consecutive game Sunday versus Orlando City.

Additionally, he put all four of his shots on target against the Lions. If anything, Cruz appears to be a piece to build around for the first full season under coach Ron Jans. 

19. Gyasi Zardes, F, Columbus Crew SC

Previous Ranking: 11

Gyasi Zardes was unable to extend his scoring streak to three games. 

The U.S. men’s national team forward failed to put a single shot on target against the Philadelphia defense in the Crew’s penultimate match of the season. 

The 13-goal scorer has one more chance to increase his scoring total at BMO Field versus Toronto FC. 

18. Matt Turner, GK, New England Revolution

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Matt Turner has put himself in contention for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. 

The New England goalkeepers picked up shutouts in back-to-back games and recorded six saves in Sunday’s victory over NYCFC, which clinched the Revs’ playoff berth.. 

17. Jeremy Ebobisse, F, Portland Timbers

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked 

Jeremy Ebobisse reached double digits in goals for the first time in his MLS career with a brace Wednesday. 

The American’s pair of tallies allowed the Timbers to pick up a vital home point in the hunt for a playoff position. 

If he continues to play at this level, he could earn a call-up from USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter. 

16. Jack Price, M, Colorado Rapids

Previous Ranking: 19 

Jack Price added to his 11 assists with his first goal of the 2019 campaign in Colorado’s victory over FC Dallas. 

The strike was just his second in a Rapids uniform, but his handout total has moved up seven from a year ago. 

Price will be vital in Colorado’s Decision Day meeting with Los Angeles FC in which they need a win and some help to clinch a playoff spot. 

15. Kei Kamara, F, Colorado Rapids

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked 

Kei Kamara is over a dozen goals for the second straight season. 

Kamara, who has double-digit goals in six seasons, found the back of the net in back-to-back contests versus Sporting Kansas City and FC Dallas. 

The goals are a welcome sight after a drought that lasted five matches.

14. Kacper Przybylko, F, Philadelphia Union

Previous Ranking: 6

Kacper Przybylko had an up and down week in front of goal. 

On Wednesday, the 26-year-old bagged his 15th tally in a come-from-behind victory over San Jose, but he was unable to hit the back of the net in a deflating loss to Columbus in which the Union were eliminated from the race for the No. 1 seed. 

13. Omar Gonzalez, D, Toronto FC

Previous Ranking: 15 

Omar Gonzalez added to his strong return to MLS with a goal in Toronto FC’s 2-2 draw with Chicago. 

It was the centerback’s first in MLS since April 18, 2015, when he tallied as a substitute versus Sporting Kansas City. 

The Reds need a massive performance out of the 30-year-old on Decision Day to earn the best seed possible in the East. 

12. Ike Opara, D, Minnesota United

Previous Ranking: 14 

The Minnesota United defense let up two goals while earning four points in Week 30.

The pair of results allowed the Loons to grab a hold of second place going into Decision Day. 

A win in Seattle Sunday would allow Adrian Heath’s side to land on the opposite side of the bracket as LAFC. 

11. Uriel Antuna, F, LA Galaxy

Previous Ranking: 10 

Uriel Antuna struck twine for the sixth time this season in the LA Galaxy’s heartbreaking loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps. 

In the last four games, the Mexican playmaker has three goals and a pair of handouts. 

If the Galaxy make a deep run in the postseason, Antuna could be the X-factor. 

10. Justin Meram, M, Atlanta United

Previous Ranking: 16

Justin Meram is another player who could be a difference-maker in the postseason. 

In Atlanta United’s draw with Montreal, he dished out a pair of key passes and won three aerial duels. 

With Josef Martinez out, the Five Stripes need production out of their midfield and the former Columbus and Orlando could be the answer. 

9. Cristian Pavon, F, LA Galaxy

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Cristian Pavon’s run of form has taken a back seat because of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s scoring run. 

In 10 matches, the 23-year-old has two goals and eight assists, and he is riding a seven-game assist streak. 

In two games, the Argentine produced a goal and an assist. If opponents key in on Ibrahimovic, Pavon could break out and lead the Galaxy deep into the postseason. 

8. Carles Gil, M, New England Revolution

Previous Ranking: 9

Carles Gil joined the 10-goal and 10-assist club with a strike in New England’s midweek draw with Portland. 

The Spanish playmaker has wreaked havoc on opposing defenses for the majority of the season. 

Gil, Carlos Vela, Nani and Alejandro Pozuelo are the members of the 2019 double-digit goal and assist club. 

7. Jordan Morris, F, Seattle Sounders

Previous Ranking: 13

Jordan Morris bagged a crucial strike for the Sounders in their 1-0 road win over San Jose. 

The game-winning tally kept Brian Schmetzer’s team level on points with Minnesota heading into their Decision Day meeting at CenturyLink Field. 

6. Alexandru Mitrita, F, New York City FC

Previous Ranking: 20 

Mitrita fired off his first-ever MLS hat trick Wednesday versus Atlanta United. 

The Romanian has been massive for Dome Torrent’s side with Heber out injured. 

Since August 31, Mitrita has struck the back of the net on six occasions. 

5. Vito Mannone, GK, Minnesota United

Previous Ranking: 7 

Vito Mannone turned away 11 shots over 180 minutes in Week 30. 

The 31-year-old has saved 26 of the 29 attempts on goal he has faced in the last four matches. 

During that run, the Loons have pulled eight points and secured a home postseason contest at Allianz Field.

4. Gustavo Bou, F, New England Revolution

Previous Ranking: 5

Gustavo Bou is one goal away from joining the growing list of double-digit scorers.

The 29-year-old Argentinian scored twice against Portland and NYCFC to pull his total up to nine and land the Revs a postseason spot. 

Since entering the Revs lineup, Bou hasn’t gone multiple games without a tally. 

3. Frederic Brillant, D, D.C. United

Previous Ranking: 4

Frederic Brillant recorded seven clearances, two blocked shots and a pair of tackles in D.C. United’s road clean sheet at Red Bull Arena. 

The Black-and-Red’s draw with the New York Red Bulls kept them ahead of their rival in the hunt for the No. 4 seed in the East. 

If Ben Olsen’s side shuts out FC Cincinnati, it will enter the playoffs on a five-game shutout streak. 

2. Carlos Vela, F, Los Angeles FC

Previous Ranking: 3

Since his return from injury September 14, Carlos Vela has built up a four-game scoring streak. 

In fact, the 30-year-old has tallied in eight consecutive matches for the Supporters’ Shield winner. 

In his first meeting against the Rapids, Vela failed to score. If he finds the back of the net on Decision Day, he could knock Colorado out of playoff contention. 

1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, F, LA Galaxy

Previous Ranking: 1 

Ibrahimovic needs to make up a two-goal deficit on Sunday to tie or beat Vela for the Golden Boot. 

In Week 30, the towering Swede recorded two goals and a pair of assists versus Real Salt Lake and Vancouver. 

In the last four games, the Galaxy forward has six tallies and three assists for a club that is likely going to land the No. 4 seed in the West. 

The post MLS Player Rankings Week 30: Alexandru Mitrita, Jordan Morris surge into Top 10 appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

In Tim Howard’s final home regular-season appearance for the Colorado Rapids, the hosts notched a 3-0 win over visiting FC Dallas in a match that carried Western Conference playoff implications.

Jack Price opened the scoring for Colorado with his 10th-minute goal, and Diego Rubio doubled the lead with a direct free kick in first-half stoppage time to give the Rapids a 2-0 lead into halftime.

After missing a penalty in the first half, Kei Kamara added a third for Colorado in the 72nd minute as the Rapids sealed a 3-0 victory to keep their playoff hopes alive heading into the final match of the season.

Here are three takeaways from Colorado’s win:

Thank you, Tim

Appropriately, Colorado maintained a clean sheet in Howard’s return to action following more than a month of dealing with a nagging leg injury.

Postgame, the Rapids honored the 40-year-old goalkeeper with an on-field ceremony. Head coach Robin Fraser and several of Howard’s teammates were highly complimentary of a goalkeeper who is considered to be one of the best players in the history of U.S. soccer.

“It’s wonderful that we all could be a part of Tim’s career for a little while,” Fraser told reporters postgame. “He’s an extremely classy and talented person who’s had a tremendous career and a tremendous impact on U.S. soccer and really everyone that he’s touched. I think we’re all really privileged to be a part of this celebration and to have taken some small part in Tim’s career.”

Rapids defender Tommy Smith said his team was aware of this game’s significance.

“I think once you cross the white line it’s just another game, but we know that in the build up to the game it was Tim’s last home game,” Smith said.” We knew the importance of that to him and to the club as well. We knew we had to win to keep ourselves in with a chance to make playoffs. We’re glad we’ve done that with a bit of style for Tim tonight.”

Playoffs? Playoffs.

For the first time since 2016, Colorado has a shot at the postseason heading into its final match of the regular season. Following a 0-9-2 start to the 2019 season, it’s an accomplishment that seemed improbable.

“This season has been crazy,” Howard said. “It’s been up and down. I think before the Portland game in the snow, you would have interviewed me and told me with one game to go and you make the playoffs, we all would’ve said it’s been a pretty good season.

“Well here we are and through the grace of God, a lot of hard work and resilience we figured out a way to a way to sneak into the conversation. I still don’t know how, but you want games to be meaningful. Whether we get into the playoffs, push for a playoff run and push for a championship, who knows. The fact that we have meaningful games now says a lot. In July that wasn’t even feasible.”

Fraser credited the mentality of the Rapids’ players, which he also identified as one of his reasons for accepting Colorado’s head coaching job. Under his direction, the Rapids have now won five of their past six matches and have yet to score fewer than two goals in a match.

“If you would have asked any of us after 11 games that we could potentially make the playoffs, I think you would have called us crazy if we said yes,” the Rapids manager said. “To be in this position is fantastic. Hats off to the group. Not just the players and not just the coaching staff either, but everyone. Everyone behind the scenes has always stayed in a positive frame of mind. The fans as well. They’ve never turned on us and backed us even when it wasn’t going well. To be in the position we are in now is fantastic. We just have to go to LAFC next week, do our job and see how the chips fall.”

Colorado needs a win over Los Angeles FC combined with losses by FC Dallas and the San Jose Earthquakes to qualify for the playoffs on MLS’ decision day.

Penalty Perturbance

Lost in the positive result is one key issue that’s been plaguing the Rapids of late: missed penalty kicks.

Kamara’s missed penalty against Dallas Sunday night marked his third of the season and second in three weeks following a miss in a 3-2 loss to Toronto FC Sept. 15. It’s a mark that stands out considering Colorado’s goal differential: minus-three heading into the final match of the regular season.

Fraser told the media that he is unconcerned, and that penalty takes are something for the players to sort out themselves.

“I mean, the fact of the matter is more times than not the players on the field decide who take the penalty kicks,” Fraser responded when asked about the penalty misses. “I’m sure that debate will continue as the week goes on and into the weekend.”

The post Howard’s sendoff and one underlying concern: Takeaways from Colorado 3, FC Dallas 0 appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – With playoffs on the line, Tim Howard played his final home match at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, helping the Colorado Rapids earn a 3-0 win over FC Dallas Sunday afternoon.

Heading into the match with a minus-six goal differential in the Western Conference table, Colorado also did well to make up ground with three goals from Jack Price, Diego Rubio and Kei Kamara.

“The result was fantastic,” said Rapids head coach Robin Fraser postgame. “I mean,
kind of difficult conditions, backs against the wall, pretty much all year and they just keep fighting.”

The game marked Howard’s first start and appearance since a 2-0 win over New York Red Bulls on Aug. 31. The 40-year-old has been dealing with a nagging leg injury since late July.

“With regard to Tim retiring, it’s wonderful that we all can be a part of Tim’s career for a little while,” Fraser continued. “He’s an extremely classy and talented person who’s had a tremendous career and a tremendous impact on us soccer and really everyone that has touched. So I think we’re all really privileged to be a part of this celebration, and to have taken part in some small part in Tim’s career.”

Price opened the scoring for Colorado in the 10th minute, hitting a shot from the top of the box into the side netting to put the Rapids in front 1-0.

Despite the nagging injury, Howard came to play, notching an early close-range blanking of Jesus Ferreira in the 31st minute. Howard ended the match with three saves total, preserving the clean sheet for Colorado.

Colorado had an opportunity to double the lead in the 38th minute when Ryan Hollingshead was called for a handball in the box, but Kamara’s ensuing penalty effort was saved by FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez.

Colorado finally found a second goal in first half extra time when Diego Rubio found the back of the net on a free kick at the top of the 18-yard box. Rubio’s effort snuck past the Dallas wall, giving the Rapids a 2-0 lead entering the half.

The Rapids added a third goal in the second half as substitute Nicolas Mezquida sent in a deft through ball to Kamara, who smoothly finished to extend the lead to 3-0 in the 72nd minute.

“We wanted to continue,” Fraser said of the continued offensive pressure from Colorado, which looked to erase some of their playoff goal differential heading into the match. “At the end of the day, we want to do things well, we do things well and execute, then we hope the result of that is that we create some chances to score some goals. the more we could push, and the more we can perhaps create some things then, obviously, then the goal differential thing comes into play.”

Colorado nearly added a fourth in the 82nd minute, but four different shots from the Rapids offense were kept out by Gonzalez and the post.

Despite Dallas holding an edge in shots and possession, Colorado saw out the remainder of the match to seal the result.

“We just keep going out trying to get results,” said Fraser. “Things work out. We get closer and closer and now here we are in the last week and we have a chance. So I think it’s again testament to the how this team has been how they’ve responded really to their start.”

With the win, Colorado remains mathematically in the playoff race heading into their final regular season match. As it stands, Colorado’s easiest path to the postseason would be a win against LAFC combined with a losses by Dallas and San Jose.  

“We’ve got a hell of a chance,” said Howard. “With these guys, we could beat Barcelona, so next week against LAFC, let’s do it.”

Dallas hosts Sporting Kansas City next Sunday while Colorado will travel to LAFC. Both matches kick off at 4 p.m. ET.

The post Colorado Rapids keep playoff hopes alive with win over FC Dallas during Tim Howard’s final home match appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – With two regular season games remaining and a final home match looming for the Colorado Rapids, soccer fans will see the last minutes from Rapids designated player and goalkeeper Tim Howard, who announced at that start of 2019 that this would be the final season of his playing career.  

Ahead of the Rapids’ final home game, Pro Soccer USA is taking a look back at some of Howard’s finest moments in Burgundy. Here are five highlights of Tim Howard’s time with the Colorado Rapids:

July 4, 2016 – Howard’s debut for Colorado

His first game for the Colorado was also his first clean sheet for his new club as the Rapids blanked a potent Portland Timbers attack at home on the Fourth of July.

The Independence Day match is annually the most attended match of the year for the Rapids, and the crowd was electric, gasping at every shot and cheering for every save that Howard made.

The decision to sign an aging goalkeeper as an MLS team’s highest paid player will always be a point of debate in MLS circles when looking back at Howard’s Rapids career, but at the time, his signing and subsequent debut was a display of ambition from a club that had struggled throughout its history. It gave fans a chance to see a recognizable name in the world’s game don the local colors.

November 6, 2016 – Penalty shootout win in playoffs over LA Galaxy

In 2016, the Colorado Rapids surprised many as they ascended to the top of the Western Conference table and became the eventual No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Hosting their first playoff game in five seasons, the Rapids pulled back a 1-0 deficit on aggregate thanks to a first half wonder goal from Shkëlzen Gashi.

With the series tied on aggregate after 120 minutes, it went to penalties and Howard’s saves of Ashley Cole and Jeff Larentowicz helped propel Colorado to the Western Conference Championship.

Howard’s Heroes

During his time with the Rapids, Howard has spent time meeting children from around the country who are diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome. The kids usually get a swag bag and a chance to meet and chat with Howard, who himself was diagnosed with Tourette’s as a child. The program serves as both a community outreach and as a method for Howard to increase awareness of the condition.

Last night we had two #HowardsHeroes! Jack, age 13, was diagnosed with TS 2 years ago and enjoys soccer, skiing, basketball and video games. Michael, age 12, was diagnosed with TS in February, and loves to dance. Always an honor to meet these kids! pic.twitter.com/2FBUZJ222f

— Tim Howard (@TimHowardGK) September 12, 2019

October 15, 2017 – Lone win of Rapids career against rivals RSL

For the duration of his time with Colorado, Real Salt Lake and Howard’s former U.S. Youth National Team roommate Nick Rimando got the better of Howard. A 1-0 win over RSL in 2017 will stand alone as Howard’s lone Rocky Mountain Cup win, and it was a hard earned victory.

After Josh Gatt put Colorado ahead early in the third minute, it was a lot of defending for the remaining 87 minutes of the match, and Howard was the catalyst for the win, notching seven saves to preserve the clean sheet.

July 1, 2018 – Ten-save performance against Vancouver Whitecaps.

On the four-year anniversary of his 16-save effort against Belgium in the 2014 World Cup, Howard put forth arguably his best performance in net for Colorado, notching ten saves and a clean sheet in Colorado’s 1-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Ten saves and three points @TimHowardGK had a day! #VANvCOL pic.twitter.com/eimGm4UB2C

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 2, 2018

It was on a night where the Whitecaps put in 25 shots on goal, with an attack led by current Colorado Rapids teammate Kei Kamara.

The post Thank You, Tim: Five Highlights from Tim Howard’s Colorado Rapids career appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

More MLS Cup playoff berths were clinched and LAFC inched closer to capturing the Supporters’ Shield as the Major League Soccer season heads into its final two weeks.

And while LAFC remain atop the ProSoccerUSA Power Rankings, there was some musical chairs played by some of the teams below them with Atlanta United moving up three spots, the Seattle Sounders dropping three spots and the Philadelphia Union and Minnesota United both dropping one.

The biggest movers were the New York Red Bulls, who made a five-spot jump to No. 9 after consecutive 2-0 wins over the Portland Timbers and Philadelphia Union.

The Major League Soccer Power Rankings are created by averaging the rankings submitted by a committee of Pro Soccer USA’s editors and writers.

(1) Los Angeles Football Club (19-4-8, 65 points): Carlos Vela leveled from the penalty spot in second-half stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw against Toronto FC. LAFC are winless in five, but can wrap up the Supporters’ Shield Wednesday night with a win. (2) New York City FC (16-5-10, 58 points): Taty Castellanos staked NYCFC to a lead inside the opening minute in a 1-1 draw at FC Dallas that extended an unbeaten streak to eight games. (6) Atlanta United (17-11-3, 54 points): Emerson Hyndman and Pity Martinez scored late to secure three massive points, but all eyes are on Josef Martinez and his injury. How long the reigning Golden Boot winner is sidelined could determine how far the Five Stripes go in the playoffs. (3) Philadelphia Union (15-9-7, 52 points): The Union’s hopes of finishing atop the Eastern Conference took a major hit in a 2-0 loss to the rival New York Red Bulls Sunday night. They also lost Mark McKenzie and Sergio Santos to hamstring injuries. (4) Minnesota United FC (14-10-7, 49 points): A scoreless draw in Portland have brought the Loons to the edge of a first-ever playoff berth. That can be clinched with a midweek win over Sporting Kansas City. (8) D.C. United (13-10-9, 48 points): D.C. United extended a shutout streak to 324 minutes following a 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders, which moved the Black-and-Red back into fourth place in the East a few hours after being leapfrogged by the rival Red Bulls. (9) LA Galaxy (15-13-3, 48 points): Cristian Pavon set up goals by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Uriel Antuna to lead the LA Galaxy to a 2-1 win over the Montreal Impact, the club’s second straight win. (5) Seattle Sounders FC (14-10-8, 50 points): The Sounders remain in second place in the West, but their hold to that spot is anything but secure with Minnesota United and the LA Galaxy just behind them. (14) New York Red Bulls (14-13-5, 47 points): Don’t look now, but here come the Red Bulls. They have matching 2-0 wins over the Portland Timbers and the Union, have clinched a postseason berth for a 10th straight year and can take a big step toward a home playoff game against D.C. United Sunday. (7) Toronto FC (12-10-10, 46 points): Toronto FC extended a league unbeaten streak to eight games, but were mere moments from securing a huge win at LAFC thanks to a 19th-minute goal by Tsubasa Endoh. Instead they settled for one point after conceding a late PK. (11) Real Salt Lake (14-12-5, 47 points): A heavily-rotated RSL side earned a road point with a 0-0 draw at New England and host the LA Galaxy in a massive midweek tilt. (10) San Jose Earthquakes (13-13-5, 44 points): Cristian Espinoza and Chris Wondolowski are suspended and the Earthquakes have lost three straight games heading into a critical midweek clash vs. the Union. (13) New England Revolution (10-10-11, 41 points): The Revs pressed, and came close, but couldn’t find an elusive goal and settled for a 0-0 home draw against Real Salt Lake. They can inch closer to a playoff berth with a win in Portland Wednesday. (12) Portland Timbers (13-13-5, 44 points): The Timbers haven’t scored in three straight matches and, following a 0-0 draw against Minnesota United, are below the playoff line in the West with three games to play. (15) FC Dallas (12-11-9, 45 points): Paxton Pomykal helped set up Zdenek Ondrasek for a 66th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 home draw against NYCFC, moving FC Dallas one point above the playoff line in the West. (16) Colorado Rapids (11-15-6, 39 points): The Rapids rallied from an early two-goal deficit to defeat Sporting Kansas City for their fourth win in their last five games, which kept their slim playoff hopes alive. (18) Chicago Fire (9-12-11, 38 points): The Fire were frustrated to settle for a 0-0 draw against FC Cincinnati. While their unbeaten streak is now three matches, three points were needed to keep playoff hopes flickering. (17) Orlando City SC (9-14-9, 36 points): The Lions squandered a chance to move closer to a first playoff berth when a 1-0 lead evaporated into a 2-1 loss at Houston Saturday. (21) Montreal Impact (11-17-4, 37 points): The Impact fell to the LA Galaxy Saturday night and their third straight loss and sixth in the last eight games have dropped them to four points below the playoff line in the East with two games to play. (19) Columbus Crew SC (9-15-8, 35 points): The Crew are on the precipice of playoff elimination after conceding a stoppage-time equalizer in a 1-1 draw against the already-eliminated Whitecaps Saturday. (20) Sporting Kansas City (10-14-7, 37 points): It went from bad to worse for Sporting Kansas City, which saw an early two-goal lead go up in smoke as they finished with 10 men and suffered a brutal 3-2 defeat to the Rapids, their third consecutive defeat. (23) Houston Dynamo (11-16-4, 37 points): The Dynamo likely won’t make the playoffs, but they’re not going down without a fight, rallying from a one-goal halftime deficit to beat Orlando City SC 2-1 at BBVA Stadium Saturday. (22) Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7-15-10, 31 points): Playing spoilers, Fredy Montero rescued the Whitecaps from another disappointing defeat with a stoppage-time equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Crew SC. (24) FC Cincinnati (6-22-4, 22 points): FC Cincinnati will likely set a new record for most goals conceded in a season, but it wasn’t happening at Nippert Stadium Saturday as the expansion side played the Fire to a 0-0 draw.

Pro Soccer USA writers Dylan Butler, Chris Fuhrmeister, Robert Jonas, Emily Olsen and Joe Tansey contributed to this report.

The post MLS Power Rankings Week 29: New York Red Bulls blast into top 10 appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

Defenders often don’t get the love they deserve. 

That changes for the Week 29 edition of the Pro Soccer USA Major League Soccer Player Rankings. 

Six defenders and one goalkeeper are on the list because of their tremendous form, most of whom are building that up with the playoffs on the horizon. 

Some of the defenders listed have not been discussed on the national level yet, but have been key pieces in their respective setups to clinch playoff berths. 

At the top, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Josef Martinez and Carlos Vela are still jockeying for the No. 1 spot. All three of the league’s top forwards scored in Week 29. 

Our MLS Player Rankings take into account a player’s performance over the last four weeks, with the most-recent one carrying more weight.

20. Alexandru Mitrita, M, New York City FC 

Previous Ranking: 9

Alexandru Mitrita was unable to hit the 10-goal mark Sunday in New York City FC’s 1-1 draw with FC Dallas. 

The Romanian got off a single shot on goal for a side that totaled four attempts on target at Toyota Stadium. 

A return home to face Atlanta United and Heber’s comeback from injury should help the 24-year-old reach double digits before the end of the regular season. 

19. Jack Price, M, Colorado Rapids

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

While no one has been paying attention to Colorado, Jack Price has racked up assists. 

The 26-year-old Englishman provided a pair of helpers in Colorado’s come-from-behind victory over Sporting Kansas City. 

With three assists in his last two starts, Price is up to 11 assists, which puts him a tie for eighth in MLS alongside Alejandro Pozuelo and Nicolas Gaitan. 

18. Kyle Duncan, D, New York Red Bulls

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Kyle Duncan impressed in the New York Red Bulls’ pair of 2-0 victories over Portland and Philadelphia. 

The 22-year-old right back scored in the third minute at Providence Park Wednesday and contributed four tackles and two interceptions.

On Sunday versus Philadelphia, Duncan made four clearances and two interceptions while clogging up the flanks for the Union, who could not get out of first gear. 

17. Miles Robinson, D, Atlanta United

Previous Ranking: 20 

Atlanta United jumped into second place in the Eastern Conference by outscoring San Jose and FC Cincinnati by a combined 5-1. 

In the midweek triumph over the expansion side, Miles Robinson won six aerial duels while holding Ron Jans’ side to two shots on goal. 

On Saturday, the Five Stripes held the Quakes to a pair of attempts on target. In the last 270 minutes, they have conceded twice. 

16. Justin Meram, M, Atlanta United

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Justin Meram has provided balance to the Atlanta United midfield.

The former Columbus and Orlando midfielder has been a key piece of the six wins since the start of August that have landed the Five Stripes four points back of first-place NYCFC. 

In the win over San Jose, the 30-year-old scored his fourth goal of the season.

15. Omar Gonzalez, D, Toronto FC 

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

You haven’t heard Omar Gonzalez talked about much since return to MLS. 

That’s a good thing for Toronto FC since center backs are not supposed to be the center of attention. 

The former LA Galaxy man has helped the Reds secure road points at NYCFC and LAFC. Greg Vanney’s side has an eight-game unbeaten run in league play and is in contention to secure a home playoff game through the No. 4 seed. 

14. Ike Opara, D, Minnesota United

Previous Ranking: 18 

Ike Opara added to his Defensive Player of the Year resume by playing a role in shutting out Portland Sunday. 

Unfortunately, Opara missed the second half with stomach issues, but the Loons hope he is ready for Wednesday’s home meeting with Sporting KC. 

Minnesota holds a two-point advantage over Real Salt Lake in the fight for a home postseason contest. 

13. Jordan Morris, F, Seattle Sounders

Previous Ranking: 8

Jordan Morris was left without a goal or assist Sunday for the first time in his last four starts. 

The American forward had two goals and three assists in his previous three appearances in the starting XI, but only mustered a pair of shots and key passes in the loss to D.C. United. 

Morris and the Sounders still hold a lead over Minnesota and the LA Galaxy for the No. 2 seed in the West, which will keep them away from LAFC until the conference final.

12. Kai Wagner, D, Philadelphia Union

Previous Ranking: 6

Philadelphia suffered a letdown at Red Bull Arena in all aspects of the game Sunday. 

Kai Wagner was effective, but not good enough against Chris Armas’ side, who looked strong in transition moments. 

The Union have a chance to rebound Wednesday versus a  San Jose squad without suspended Cristian Espinoza and Chris Wondolowski. 

11. Gyasi Zardes, F, Columbus Crew

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked 

Gyasi Zardes is now up to 32 goals in two seasons for the Columbus Crew. 

That is two fewer than the number he recorded over a five-year span with the LA Galaxy. 

In his last four matches, Zardes has four goals for Caleb Porter’s side, including back-to-back road strikes versus Atlanta and Vancouver. 

10. Uriel Antuna, M, LA Galaxy

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Believe it or not, a Galaxy goalscorer not named Ibrahimovic is allowed on this list. 

In the last four games, Uriel Antuna has produced three goals and two assists. 

That production is significant as Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s side looks for scoring support around the towering Swede with the playoffs on the horizon. 

9. Carles Gil, M, New England Revolution

Previous Ranking: 19 

Carles Gil could not land a goal or assist Saturday, but he was still a workhorse in the middle of the park. 

The New England midfielder dished out seven key passes and completed 84.8 percent of his passes. 

The owner of nine goals and 14 assists has been one of the most valuable midfielders in MLS, and the Revs will need him to step up his game in the final two weeks to secure the seventh playoff berth in the East. 

8. Mauro Manotas, F, Houston Dynamo

Previous Ranking: 15

In a week where other forwards on this list failed to make an impact in the final third, Mauro Manotas notched an assist in Houston’s win over Orlando City. 

In the last three contests, the Colombian has two goals and two assists and has played a role in all but one of his team’s tallies. 

7. Vito Mannone, GK, Minnesota United

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

There is a chance Minnesota United could have the Defender of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year on their roster. 

Vito Mannone turned in an 11-save performance Sunday to help the Loons leave Providence Park with a valuable point in the Western Conference playoff hunt. 

In September, the former Arsenal man has conceded three times and turned away 25 shots. 

6. Kacper Przybylko, F, Philadelphia Union

Previous Ranking: 5 

For the first time in four games, Kacper Przybylko did not find the back of the net. 

The Philadelphia forward was held to a single shot on target by the Red Bulls defense Sunday night. 

The 14-goal scorer will be relied upon to produce strikes versus San Jose and Columbus to give the Union an opportunity to land one of the top two seeds in the East. 

5. Gustavo Bou, F, New England Revolution

Previous Ranking: 4

None of Gustavo Bou’s six shots over 45 minutes found the back of the net Saturday. 

Since August 10, the 25-year-old Argentinian has tallied in five of New England’s seven games. 

Bruce Arena’s side needs that same level of production Wednesday in Portland and Sunday at home versus NYCFC to lock up a postseason spot. 

4. Frederic Brillant, D, D.C. United

Previous Ranking: 12

For the first time since Week 13, a defensive-minded player has cracked the top four.

In addition to scoring Sunday against Seattle, Frederic Brillant has been a part of a defense that recorded three consecutive clean sheets. 

Thanks to the efforts of the back four, Ben Olsen’s side goes into Red Bull Arena Sunday with a 324-minute shutout streak. 

3. Carlos Vela, F, Los Angeles FC

Previous Ranking: 3 

Carlos Vela extended his scoring streak to six games with LAFC’s lone tally against Toronto FC.

The Mexican forward is up to 29 goals, but only holds a two-strike advantage over Ibrahimovic heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. 

Vela has home matches with Houston and Colorado and a road trip to Minnesota left on the docket. 

2. Josef Martinez, F, Atlanta United

Previous Ranking: 2 

Josef Martinez notched his seventh brace of 2019 Wednesday in Atlanta’s win over FC Cincinnati. 

Unfortunately, the Venezuelan’s scoring run came to an end Saturday when he was taken off the field with an injury. 

The injury likely takes him out of Golden Boot contention since he is three back of Vela and is expected to miss some time. 

1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, F, LA Galaxy

Previous Ranking: 1

 Ibrahimovic’s next goal in MLS will be his 50th for the Galaxy. 

If he records it in his next match, the Swede will have 50 strikes in 50 games started for one of the top clubs in league history. 

His 49th regular-season tally occurred Saturday versus Montreal. Since August 14, Ibrahimovic has scored 11 times. 

 

 

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Tommy Smith scored in the 85th minute and the Colorado Rapids secured a 3-2 victory over Sporting Kansas City Saturday.

Gerso Fernandes notched the first goal for Sporting Kansas City (10-14-7) in the third minute on a shot 20 yards out from the edge of the box. Smith put Sporting Kansas City on top 2-0 with an own goal in the 14th minute.

Kei Kamara put Colorado (11-15-6) on the scoreboard in the 42nd minute on a shot 17 yards out from the edge of the box, assisted by Jack Price.

Diego Rubio tied it at 2-2 for Colorado in the 76th minute with a shot 16 yards away from the center of the box, assisted by Smith.

Smith sealed the victory for Colorado in the 85th minute on a header 19 yards out from the edge of the box, assisted by Price.

[See image gallery at appserver-927ee6c5.c.pantheon-dmz.internal]

The Rapids outshot Sporting Kansas City 19 to 10, with eight shots on goal to two for Sporting Kansas City.
Colorado drew six corner kicks, committed 14 fouls and was given four yellow cards. Sporting Kansas City drew six corner kicks, committed 11 fouls and was given one yellow cards and one red card.

Sporting Kansas City’s next match is Wednesday on the road at Minnesota United, and the Rapids next play Sunday at Dallas.

The post Colorado Rapids take down Sporting Kansas City 3-2 appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

The Colorado Rapids traveled to Kansas City hoping to play spoiler and they did, downing Sporting KC in a 3-2 comeback win. SKC went out to an early lead with goals from Gerso (3’) and an own goal from Rapids defender Tommy Smith (14’) to take an early 2-0 lead. The game changed when a second yellow was issued to SKC midfielder Matt Besler and Colorado was able to take advantage, cutting the lead to 2-1 at halftime on Kei Kamara’s bicycle kick goal in the 42nd minute.

Colorado drew even in the second half on a Diego Rubio goal in the 76th minute before Tommy Smith redeemed himself by scoring the game winner on a header in the 85th minute, securing the 3-2 victory.

Here are three takeaways from Colorado’s 3-2 win over SKC:

Price of admission

Jack Price has answered all doubts on whether he can be a set piece specialist, and with great vigor.

With Price’s assist of Kamara in the first half in Kansas City, Price set a mark for the most set piece assists since 2010(9), passing LA Galaxy’s David Beckham(8) and SKC’s Graham Zusi(8).

“I’ve actually told him that his deliveries haven’t been good enough because he had a few free kicks in the first half that hit the first man,” Rapids defender Tommy Smith joked post-match. “I’d like to think I claim an assist for the assist.”

On a more serious note, Smith offered praise for his English comrade, saying,

“Obviously, all season his delivery has been top notch and hats off to him for getting that MLS record. It’s fully deserved and hopefully we can get a couple more for him before the season finishes.”

Price offered a humbled response to securing the assist mark.

“I just put the ball in the box,” he said. “I just put it in a good area and hopefully people get their heads on it and they do. It’s a proud moment for me to get a record like that. There are some high caliber players I took over and it’s a nice feeling. But, like I said, I just do what I do and hopefully somebody gets their head on it.”

You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone

Perhaps fittingly, two of Colorado’s goals were score by former SKC players, Kei Kamara and Diego Rubio.

“I still call it home,” said Kamara. “It’s nice to come back home and play in front of friends and family, but tonight was special because we came up with all three points.”

Kamara’s bicycle kick to pull back a goal was a highlight-reel worthy effort.

“It’s weird to say, but I actually had a dream about it,” added Kamara. “The only other time I’ve score a half bicycle scissor was in this stadium. The goal gave us a little bit of momentum going back out there.”

In the second half, Rubio bagged the equalizer, which was huge in gaining second half momentum.

“I don’t know how Diego feels on the inside, but I’m sure he feels great,” said Kamara.

Keep Fighting 2.0?

In a span of minutes, the 2019 Colorado Rapids season went from the near brink of mathematical elimination to still holding on to a breath of life in the playoff race. At time of writing Colorado (39 points) still is mathematically alive in the Western Conference, and still has a hope of surpassing FC Dallas, Portland and San Jose if they win out and receive help in other results. It’s impressive for a team that went winless for 10 games to start the season under former head coach Anthony Hudson.

Their comeback win on Saturday was further evidence of the resilience that the team has brought back in the second half of the season and continues to be fostered under head coach Robin Fraser.

“Credit to [SKC], they took their chances and we dug ourselves a hole once again, but I talk about this every week it seems like, it’s the resiliency of the team,” said Fraser. “Even being down two goals in spite of being up a man, that’s a tough situation. This is an organized team. They’ve done this before. They sat back in and made it very difficult for us to create scoring chances, but we were pretty relentless in our endeavor to go forward. Certainly, things could have been better and cleaner. We would have liked to see the game be more controlled, but at the end of the day you can’t fault the effort.”

 

The post Keep Fighting 2.0? Takeaways from Colorado’s 3-2 comeback win over Sporting KC appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – In the early 2000’s, Robin Fraser and Peter Vermes shared the field as players and the Colorado-Kansas City rivalry was one of the marquee match-ups in Major League Soccer.

Nearly two decades later, they’ll share it once more — now as managers — this Saturday when Sporting KC hosts the Colorado Rapids in a fight for positioning in the Western Conference.

“At the time [the rivalry] was all about proximity,” Fraser recalls. “It’s not that close but [Kansas City] was the closest thing to Colorado when the league started. There were tough games, close games, playoff games.”

A lot has changed since then. Both are now head coaches of their respective clubs; Fraser now four games into his head coaching tenure with Colorado and Vermes a constant fixture at SKC for a decade. The rivalries have also changed. Colorado now claims Real Salt Lake as its biggest rival while SKC also claims bigger rivals in RSL and Houston.

One thing that hasn’t changed is a mutual respect between Vermes and Fraser.

“I know Robin really well,” said Vermes. “He’s a great guy. He knows the game. He’s a serious guy and I have a lot of respect for him.”

Likewise, Fraser was complimentary of his colleague.

“Peter has done a good job with that team,” he said. “One thing you know is, you 100 percent expect, is for them to be well organized.”

Vermes and SKC aren’t taking this one lightly, either. Colorado has taken nine out of a possible 12 points in the games under Fraser and has averaged two goals a game in each of the four games since his hiring.

“Colorado is playing well. We need to get points, we’re playing at home, so we need to give everything we have for the game,” said Vermes. “[Fraser] is really good at what he does and is slowly putting his mark on the team and getting a chance to evaluate players. They’re going to have to show him if they’re going to be around for another year.”

Evaluation will indeed be a major part of Fraser’s process as the team looks towards an important rebuild this off-season, which Rapids GM and vice president of operations Padraig Smith has billed publicly as one of the most important in franchise history.

“You’re assessing everything, really,” Fraser explained. “Decision making, ability, technical execution, adaptability to different asks in terms of what the team is doing, and just see how they fare and all these different scenarios.”

Both teams still have an outside shot at the playoffs if they win out and receive help, making Saturday’s game all the more important. A single point currently separates SKC (37 points) and Colorado (36 points) in the Western Conference standings.

“Whether you agree or not, the games at the end take on a different life,” said Vermes. “They’re more like playoff games than regular season games towards the end of the season. That’s what these games are now.”

Maybe there’s still a little luster left on that old school rivalry, after all. 

The post Old faces of Colorado-Kansas City rivalry sharing the pitch again as managers appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Carlos Vela and Josef Martinez have set themselves apart from the rest of the talent in Major League Soccer. 

The trio of goal-scorers have occupied the top spots in our MLS Player Rankings for most of the season, and they are now locked into a battle for the Golden Boot. 

Vela seemed like the runaway winner, but Ibrahimovic is within two and Martinez is four back with a handful of games left. 

Ibrahimovic left the biggest mark on Week 28 in the LA Galaxy’s thumping over Sporting Kansas City, but both Vela and Martinez found the back of the net as well.

Our MLS Player Rankings take into account a player’s form over the last four games, with the most-recent performance carrying the most weight. 

20. Miles Robinson, D, Atlanta United

Previous Ranking: 13

Atlanta United’s defense has had a few shaky weeks with the concession of six goals to Philadelphia and Columbus. 

Saturday’s home loss to the Crew was the more surprising of the two results given how poorly Caleb Porter’s team has played this season. 

Before the two-game losing streak, Miles Robinson and Co. put up three clean sheets in four games. They need to revert back to that form in Week 29 against FC Cincinnati and San Jose to secure a home playoff match. 

19. Carles Gil, M, New England Revolution

Previous Ranking: 14 

Carles Gil dished out his 13th and 14th assists in New England’s 3-3 draw with Orlando.

The pair of handouts were a welcome sight for the Spaniard, who went two games without an assist, a rare drought in his debut MLS season. 

From July 17 to August 24, the 26-year-old had an assist in six of seven games. That form will be needed down the stretch for the Revs to secure a postseason berth. 

18. Ike Opara, D, Minnesota United

Previous Ranking: 9 

In three September games, Ike Opara and the Minnesota United defense have conceded a trio of goals. 

On Sunday versus Real Salt Lake, the Loons held the Claret-and-Cobalt to five shots on target in a 3-1 victory. 

The Loons rank third in goals against in the Western Conference, where they are third behind LAFC and Seattle.

17. Mark-Anthony Kaye, M, Los Angeles FC

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked 

Mark-Anthony Kaye dished out four key passes and had the shot that helped create Carlos Vela’s goal in LAFC’s 1-1 draw at Philadelphia. 

The Canadian midfielder also recorded four tackles, a clearance and an interception against the second-place side in the Eastern Conference. 

On the season, Kaye has a pass completion rate of 83.9 percent and is averaging 2.2 tackles, 1.7 key passes and 1.3 interceptions. 

16. Luis Diaz, M, Columbus Crew SC

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

The acquisition of Luis Diaz flew under the radar because of the Crew’s struggles this season, but he has turned into one of the better midseason signings. 

The 20-year-old Costa Rican has two goals and an assist in his last three games, including a strike in the Crew’s road upset of Atlanta United. 

In 10 contests, the midfielder has two goals and three assists. 

15. Mauro Manotas, F, Houston Dynamo

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Mauro Manotas added to his second-highest scoring season in MLS with a strike in each of Houston’s two Week 28 games. 

The Honduran forward, who should be poised for a move in the offseason, found the back of the net against Minnesota and Vancouver. 

Eight of Manotas’ 13 goals have occurred against Western Conference opposition. 

14. Darwin Quintero, M, Minnesota United

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Darwin Quintero earned his second straight 10-goal season with a brace Sunday versus RSL. 

The 31-year-old Colombian scored in the 20th and 51st minutes to help Adrian Heath’s side rebound from a midweek loss to Houston.

The Loons need Quintero to continue scoring in a three-game stretch versus Portland, Sporting KC and LAFC in order for the club to host a postseason game at Allianz Field. 

13. Keaton Parks, M, New York City FC

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Keaton Parks has not received the love he deserves. 

The New York City FC on-loan midfielder rose into the spotlight with his first MLS goal Saturday in a 3-1 win over San Jose, and he has quietly been a rock in the center of the park. 

If Parks continues to thrive for Dome Torrent’s side, he may command a spot in Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. men’s national team.

12. Frederic Brillant, D, D.C. United

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Two clean sheets have helped D.C. United move four points above the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference. 

Frederic Brillant has turned in a pair of solid showings against Montreal and Portland. 

In the 1-0 victory over the Timbers, Brillant and the D.C. defense limited the home side to four shots on goal of the 23 attempted. 

11. Sebastian Lletget, M, LA Galaxy

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

In his first game back from USMNT camp, Sebastian Lletget exploded for two goals and an assist in the LA Galaxy’s 7-2 rout of Sporting Kansas City. 

The midfielder’s brace occurred two minutes apart during a 16-minute stretch in which the Galaxy poured in four goals. 

The Galaxy will not score seven goals each week, but if they can continue to put pressure on opposing defenses, they will ease any concerns about their playoff hopes. 

10. Nani, M, Orlando City SC

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

From June 26-August 31, Nani recorded one goal for Orlando City.

In the last two games, he has three goals and an assist, but the increase in production was not good enough to power the Lions to victory. 

Orlando sits in a tough spot, four points below the playoff line with three games to play, so it needs to win out and some help to claw back into the top seven. 

9. Alexandru Mitrita, M, New York City FC

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Alexandru Mitrita has helped fill the scoring void left by the injured Heber. 

The 24-year-old Designated Player scored once in both of New York City FC’s victories in Week 28, and now has three strikes in the last four matches. 

With Heber out until at least Decision Day, the Pigeons need Mitrita to continue scoring in order to lock up the No. 1 seed. 

8. Jordan Morris, F, Seattle Sounders

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Jordan Morris has secured the Comeback Player of the Year with his September start. 

Morris, who missed all of 2018 with an injury, bagged his ninth goal and handed out his seventh assist in a 4-2 win over the New York Red Bulls Sunday. 

Since the start of August, the U.S. international has experienced an uptick in form that includes a goal and assist in two of his last three games. 

7. Chris Wondolowski, F, San Jose Earthquakes

Previous Ranking: 15 

While we’ve been fawning over the flashy scorers in MLS, Chris Wondolowski has brought his lunch pail and blue-collar mentality to continue to find the back of the net. 

Wondolowski moved his season total up to 14 with the opening goal in San Jose’s loss to NYCFC on Saturday. 

In the last four matches, the 36-year-old has four tallies to get up to his fifth-highest scoring total in MLS at 14. 

6. Kai Wagner, D, Philadelphia Union

Previous Ranking: 12 

Kai Wagner did what few defenders in MLS have done all season: frustrate Carlos Vela.

Vela still scored in the 1-1 draw at Talen Energy Stadium, but it occurred off a rebound in the box, not a moment of individual brilliance. 

Wagner leads defenders in assists with eight and has become one of the lock-down left backs in the league, something the Union will benefit from in their hunt for the No. 2 seed in the East. 

5. Kacper Przybylko, F, Philadelphia Union

Previous Ranking: 8

Kacper Przybylko scored for the third straight game and fifth time in six games. 

The 14-goal scorer struck the back of the net in the third minute versus LAFC, a game in which the Union proved they could play with MLS’ best. 

Next up for Przybylko is a three-game road swing against the Red Bulls, Earthquakes and Crew. 

4. Gustavo Bou, F, New England Revolution

Previous Ranking: 4 

Gustavo Bou is now up to seven goals in 10 games. 

The New England forward netted one of his team’s three goals in the draw against Orlando City. 

While other forwards have scored in bunches, Bou has been Mr. Consistent, which is exactly what the Revs needed out of their big-money signing. 

3. Carlos Vela, F, Los Angeles FC

Previous Ranking: 5

Even though he spent most of Saturday night trying to get away from Wagner, Vela still impacted the game. 

The 30-year-old knocked in his 28th goal right before halftime to double his scoring total from a year ago. 

Vela is in possession of a five-game scoring streak that dates back to August 11. He and his LAFC teammates can clinch the Supporters’ Shield with a win over Toronto FC Saturday. 

2. Josef Martinez, F, Atlanta United

Previous Ranking: 2

Speaking of scoring streaks, Josef Martinez is now up to 14 consecutive games with a goal.

The Venezuelan striker bagged Atlanta United’s only goal in a 3-1 defeat to the Columbus Crew Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

In the last four matches, Martinez has deposited four goals into the net on six shots on target. 

1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, F, LA Galaxy

Previous Ranking: 1 

There is a real chance Zlatan Ibrahimovic steals the Golden Boot away from Vela. 

The towering Swede produced his fourth multi-goal performance in six games Sunday by notching a hat trick versus Sporting KC. 

Since August 14, Ibrahimovic has scored 10 goals to move two goals behind Vela with four games remaining. 

The post MLS Player Rankings Week 28: All hail Zlatan Ibrahimovic appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

With the MLS regular season rapidly winding down, some teams are starting to separate themselves at the top of the table heading into the home stretch.

That is also reflected in the Pro Soccer USA’s Power Rankings following Week 28, with Los Angeles Football Club, New York City FC and the Philadelphia Union all unchanged in the top three spots.

But then it gets fun. The next 12 spots, and 19 of the final 21 overall, have shuffled. Some teams, like Toronto FC, coming off a dramatic 3-2 win over the Colorado Rapids, and the LA Galaxy, following a 7-2 trouncing of Sporting Kansas City, have made giant leaps forward. Others (see: FC Dallas) have fallen quite a bit.

The Major League Soccer Power Rankings are created by averaging the rankings submitted by a committee of Pro Soccer USA’s editors and writers.

(1) Los Angeles Football Club (19-4-7, 64 points): It’s now four straight matches without a win — the longest stretch of a remarkable season. After consecutive road draws at Orlando City SC and the Philadelphia Union, is it time to worry LAFC has lost its magic? (2) New York City FC (16-5-9, 57 points): Three games, a shorthanded roster and seven points. It was quite a week for NYCFC, which are now five points clear atop the East with four games to play. (3) Philadelphia Union (15-8-7, 52 points): For a second straight game, the Union made some noise with a positive home result, following an emphatic win over Atlanta United with a draw against LAFC. (5) Minnesota United FC (14-10-6, 48 points): Darwin Quintero struck for a brace and Ethan Finlay added a late insurance goal in a 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake that moved the Loons into third place in the West. (7) Seattle Sounders FC (14-9-7, 49 points): It was a fast start and a strong finish for the Sounders, who beat the New York Red Bulls 4-2 at CenturyLink Field to move into second place int he West. (4) Atlanta United (15-11-3, 48 points): The Five Stripes took the lead through Josef Martinez, but they looked listless in conceding three unanswered goals in a 3-1 loss to Columbus. (14) Toronto FC (12-10-9, 45 points): The biggest movers of the week had a big double-game week, earning a 1-1 draw at East-leading NYCFC and defeating Colorado 3-2 at BMO Field to move to fourth in the East. (13) D.C. United (12-10-9, 45 points): It was ugly, but Ben Olsen’s team doesn’t really care about aesthetics at this point of the season. They’ll gladly take the three points in rainy Portland, courtesy of an own goal. (15) LA Galaxy (14-13-3, 45 points): Zlatan Ibrahimovic proclaimed himself to be the best player in MLS history and it’s hard to argue with a guy who just scored a hat trick in a match that catapulted his team above the playoff line in the West. (6) San Jose Earthquakes (13-12-5, 44 points): Chris Wondolowski gave the Quakes the early lead, but they conceded twice in quick succession in a 2-1 loss to NYCFC. It was Matias Almeyda’s club’s fifth loss in their last seven games. (9) Real Salt Lake (14-12-4, 46 points): A big win over the Earthquakes was followed by a loss at Minnesota United. RSL are fourth in the West, three points behind second-place Seattle, but just three points above the playoff line. (8) Portland Timbers (13-12-4, 43 points): Luck was not in the Timbers’ favor Sunday. Gio Savarese’s club, without injured key attackers Brian Fernandez and Sebastian Blanco, twice hit the woodwork and Bill Tuiloma scored an own goal in a 1-0 loss to D.C. United. (11) New England Revolution (10-10-10, 40 points): The Revs are three points above the playoff line in the East, but will rue blowing a two-goal halftime lead and dropping a pair of valuable points in a 3-3 draw with Orlando City SC. (12) New York Red Bulls (12-13-5, 41 points): The Red Bulls battled back from an early two-goal deficit, but conceded twice late in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Sounders, their third in a row that dropped them to sixth in the East. (10) FC Dallas (12-11-7, 43 points): FC Dallas conceded four goals before halftime in a loss at Chicago that, coupled with other results, has them below the playoff line on a tiebreaker with four games remaining. (16) Colorado Rapids (10-15-6, 36 points): The three-match winning streak came to an end Sunday, though not without a fight. The Rapids erased an early two-goal deficit and probably should have led 3-2 if not for Kei Kamara’s saved penalty kick. (19) Orlando City SC (9-13-9, 36 points): Nani put his team on his shoulders, scoring a brace and, along with a Dom Dwyer strike, rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-3 draw against New England. A great rally, but truth be told the Lions needed all three points. (20) Chicago Fire (9-12-10, 37 points): The Fire’s playoff hopes are not doused yet as, led by CJ Sapong’s brace, they blasted FC Dallas at home Saturday. But there is no margin for error going forward. (21) Columbus Crew SC (9-15-7, 34 points): Gyasi Zardes and Luis Diaz responded to an early Josef Martinez goal and an own goal by Miles Robinson put the finishing touches on a stunning 3-1 win over Atlanta that keeps Crew SC’s flickering playoff hopes still alive. (18) Sporting Kansas City (10-13-7, 37 points): A three-match winning streak has turned into consecutive defeats and it feels like the 7-2 loss at the LA Galaxy just might have been the death knell for Sporting. (17) Montreal Impact (11-16-4, 37 points): Perhaps worse than a five-goal loss at playoff-hopeful LA Galaxy is a 1-0 defeat at home to an FC Cincinnati team long eliminated from playoff contention. (23) Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7-15-7, 30 points): The Whitecaps have also been eliminated from playoff contention, but that didn’t stop them from battling until the end and claiming all three points in a 2-1 win over the Dynamo courtesy of a Fredy Montero 90th-minute goal. (22) Houston Dynamo (10-16-4, 34 points): Mathematically still alive, albeit barely, the Dynamo rallied to level thanks to Mauro Manotas, but left BC Place with nothing but frustration after conceding Montero’s winner. (24) FC Cincinnati (6-21-3, 21 points): Ron Jans has waited a long time, but his first win as FC Cincinnati coach came in Montreal Saturday thanks to Allan Cruz’s first-minute goal.

Pro Soccer USA writers Dylan Butler, Chris Fuhrmeister, Robert Jonas and Joe Tansey contributed to this report.

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Jonathan Osorio broke a tie in the 70th minute and Toronto FC beat the Colorado Rapids 3-2 Sunday  at BMO Field to spoil Rapids coach Robin Fraser’s homecoming.

Fraser, a former Toronto assistant coach, had won three straight matches since taking charge of the Rapids Aug. 25.

Toronto FC (12-10-9, 45 points) extended an unbeaten run to seven matches and moved up to fourth place in the Eastern Conference, ahead of D.C. United on a tiebreaker. The Rapids (10-15-6, 36 points) suffered a blow to their already slim hopes of reaching the MLS Cup playoffs. 

Returning home from a 1-1 draw against New York City FC at Yankee Stadium Wednesday, Toronto FC roared out of the gate and led 2-0 after just 13 minutes. Tsubasa Endoh opened the scoring in the 8th minute. After Richie Laryea was played into the box by Jozy Altidore, he cut the ball back to Endoh, who hammered his shot in off the crossbar. 

Five minutes later, Alejandro Pozuelo doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after Lalas Abubakar pulled back Altidore in the box. Pozuelo, who went 1-for-2 from the penalty spot in the Bronx Wednesday night, made no mistake with his panenka. 

Just when it looked like the rout was on, Keegan Rosenberry pulled the Rapids back a goal in the 31st minute, following his initial shot that was blocked by Michael Bradley to beat Quentin Westberg. After taking down Sam Nicholson inside the box, Westberg atoned for his mistake with a diving stop on Kei Kamara’s penalty just before halftime. 

Nicholson, who helped setup Rosenberry’s goal, then leveled in the 62nd minute, sliding in front to meet Rosenberry’s lofted cross. However, the final heroics came from Osorio, who came off the bench for the injured Nicolas Benezet, clipped an Erickson Gallardo pass over Clint Irwin and into the net for the winner. 

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— The Associated Press contributed to this story

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Zlatan Ibrahimović and the LA Galaxy came to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for a midweek clash with Colorado, looking to secure points in a tight Western Conference playoffs race. In what looked to be destined to be a 0-0 draw after a scoreless first half, the game came to life late with all six of the game’s goals coming in a six-minute span. Cole Bassett opened the scoring to give Colorado a 1-0 lead in the 79th minute, but LA responded with the leveler from Giancarlo Gonzalez four minutes later. Nicolas Mezquida scored the game winner on a controversial penalty call just moments later and the game ended with a 2-1 Rapids win, despite a wild 10 minutes of extra time that included multiple cards and VAR reviews.

Here are three takeaways from Colorado’s 2-1 win over LA:

Rookie of the Year

Colorado Rapids rookie Andre Shinyashiki continues to impress for Colorado. Following his two-goal performance last weekend against Seattle which earned him MLS player of the week and a Team of the Week nod, Shinyashiki continued to propel Colorado’s attack on Wednesday and his play in the second half led to the penalty call (albeit controversial) and the Rapids second goal.

“I think each game you gain more and more confidence,” Rapids head coach Robin Fraser said of Shinyashiki. “What we saw was a really aggressive No. 9, not an impressive rookie No. 9. impressive nine period no matter what.”

Despite the controversy of the penalty call, which many LA Galaxy players disagreed with and what replays showed as little to no contact, Ibrahimovic chose to recognize the quality of Shinyashiki’s play instead of blaming refereeing.

The play was too far away from me. The only thing I saw was [Shinyashiki] dribbled [Giancarlo Gonzalez] in the box. If you allow somebody to dribble you like that, then there are consequences.”

Abubakar gets it right

With Sam Vines out due to Illness, Lala Abubakar slotted in as an emergency right back for Colorado – and it worked. It was a good display not only from Abubakar, but a saavy coaching move by Fraser.

It was Abubakar’s first time ever playing the position as a professional.

“The coach called us in the office and he asked me if I ever played right back. I told him ‘no’. He told me I’d play right back. But we are all professionals so the best thing you can do is focus and execute it. They told me to stop Pavon and I knew if I stopped that guy, we’d have a chance to win,” Abubakar explained postgame.

The defensive performance impressed Fraser, as well.

“We had a center back playing right back, we had a right back playing left back, we had two left footed center backs and the guys just did what they needed to do,” he said.

Three on the bounce

The Robin Fraser head coaching era in Colorado continues its honeymoon phase as the Rapids have now won three in a row under the former Colorado player and have scored six goals total.

To little surprise, his system has done well to keep the attacking players happy.

“What he brings is positional play,” Shinyashiki said of Fraser’s system. “It’s very similar to what my coach in college did so I’m very happy. Creating overloads and being in the right positions is what he’s brought.”

Aside from tactics, Colorado also looks to be working together in harmony.

Said Fraser, “I’m so proud — I’m so proud of the team. You look at the players that they have, obviously some very accomplished players — then you look at our group and they just play as a team — they play for each other, they fight for each other, and play cohesively offensively and defensively. Every week — it’s been three weeks, but every week I think — well, that was a good one, but what happens next week? What keeps happening is that they keep playing like a team. As a result, they keep getting good results. It’s been really a fun start for me as a coach and I feel really happy to be a part of this group.”

The post Shinyashiki on the dribble and other takeaways from Colorado’s 2-1 win over LA appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids earned their third-straight win under new head coach Robin Fraser, defeating Zlatan Ibrahimović and the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Wednesday night.

It marked the first visit to the Centennial State for the Galaxy designated player, who currently leads LA in goals. But with some defensive changes, including the shifting of centerback Lalas Abubakar to right back in replacement for Sam Vines (illness), Colorado kept the Swede off the scoreboard.

“He’s obviously a huge guy and very good year so he’s going to win his fair share,” Fraser said. “We planned for it, we want it and they were able to make the right reads at the right times and and make it difficult for him on the night.”

The opening half was scoreless but not without opportunities for both sides. LA nearly took an early lead in the 20th minute, but Favio Alvarez’s chance on the doorstep was saved by Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin.

Five minutes later, the Rapids had a set piece opportunity and Jack Price connected with Danny Wilson, but Wilson’s header landed in the arms of Bingham in the 25th minute.

In the 27th minute, Ibrahimović found himself one-on-one with Irwin, but a late defensive run by Lalas Abubakar helped save the danger. Irwin came up big again less than a minute later, making back-to-back saves on strikes from Alvarez and Cristian Pavon.

By halftime, Colorado had dominated shots (9) and held nearly 57 percent possession, but the score remained deadlocked at 0-0.

Finally, the deadlock broke when Colorado homegrown Cole Bassett struck home a header off a set piece for the game’s opening goal. It gave the Rapids a 1-0 lead in the 79th minute.

Three minutes later, the Galaxy returned the favor. LA centerback Giancarlo Gonzalez equalized off a corner, leveling the match at 1-1 in the 83rd minute.

On the ensuing run of attack by Colorado, Rapids striker Andre Shinyashiki went down in the box, prompting a penalty call from head referee Fotis Bazakos. Mezquida sank the penalty to give Colorado a 2-1 lead in the 85th minute. It was a decision many in the LA locker room disagreed with. 

“From where I was, it looked like [Shinyashiki] went down pretty easy,” Galaxy defender Daniel Steres said. “I don’t know why the referee would call it and then not check VAR.”

Nonetheless, the rookie has impressed Fraser since the coach’s arrival. 

“To be honest, his choices are really really good,” Fraser said of Shinyashiki. “For a young player, young, professional, young forward it’s all about choices.”

In extra time, LA’s other designated player, Pavon was sent off with a straight red for violent conduct. But after a VAR review, Pavon’s red was downgraded to a yellow card for a reckless challenge.

It was one of many controversial calls late in the match. Ten minutes into the extra time period, LA got a penalty call of their own, but that one was called back due to a VAR review as well.

Colorado saw out the extended extra time period to hold onto the win, while LA dropped points in their chase for a playoff spot. The Galaxy currently sit eighth with five matches to play, one point behind FC Dallas for the final playoffs spot in the Western Conference.

The Rapids will now have three days to prepare for Fraser’s former team, Toronto FC, who they’ll face on Sunday (5 p.m. ET). The Galaxy will return home to host Sporting KC later that evening (10 p.m.).

“What keeps happening is they keep playing like a team,” Fraser said of the streaking Rapids. “And as a result, they’re getting it, they’re getting results.”

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With the international window taking focus, there were just five matches during a truncated Week 27 of the Major League Soccer season.

That means minimal movement in the Pro Soccer USA Power Rankings. (Expect big changes this week, though, with a grand total of 16 matches on the slate)

The big movers were the Portland Timbers, who advanced three spots to No. 8 following a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City, which fell two spots to No. 18. New York City FC also made positive movement, albeit slight, rising one spot to No. 2 after a 2-1 victory over the New England Revolution, who are down one to No. 11.

The Major League Soccer Power Rankings are created by averaging the rankings submitted by a committee of Pro Soccer USA’s editors and writers.

(1) Los Angeles Football Club (19-4-6, 63 points): Shorthanded due to the international break, the Supporters’ Shield leaders will take a 2-2 draw at Orlando City SC, especially since Diego Rossi struck for the late equalizer. (3) New York City FC (15-5-8, 53 points): No Heber, no problem for NYCFC, which erased an early deficit and defeated the New England Revolution, 2-1, thanks to a second-half brace from substitute Jesus Medina. Five straight wins have catapulted the Cityzens atop the East. (2) Philadelphia Union (15-8-6, 51 points): The Union return after being idle in Week 27 with a second consecutive massive home fixture. They beat Atlanta United in the first, but now LAFC come to Talen Energy Stadium. (4) Atlanta United (15-10-3, 48 points): The Five Stripes will look to rebound from a 3-1 defeat at the Philadelphia Union when they host a desperate Columbus Crew SC side Saturday evening. (5) Minnesota United (13-9-6, 45 points): The Loons return for a pair of Week 28 tilts, playing at the Houston Dynamo Wednesday before hosting Real Salt Lake in a spicy Sunday match with major playoff implications. (7) San Jose Earthquakes (13-10-5, 44 points): Like Minnesota United, it’s a double-match week, but both matches are on the road and at two of the toughest venues to get points — Rio Tinto Stadium and Yankee Stadium. (6) Seattle Sounders FC (13-9-7, 46 points): Brian Schmetzer had to rotate almost have his starting XI and fielded just 16 players on his gameday 18-man roster, and that includes a pair of call-ups from the Tacoma Defiance. The result was a 2-0 loss at the Colorado Rapids. (11) Portland Timbers (13-11-4, 43 points): The Timbers were seven minutes from a devastating defeat before Jeremy Ebobisse leveled and Brian Fernandez came off the bench to score the dramatic 90th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City. (8) Real Salt Lake (13-11-4, 43 points): In fifth place in the West, RSL can rapidly rise, or fall, in the race as crowded as a New York City subway car, in a two-match week that sees them host the Earthquakes and head to Minnesota United. (9) FC Dallas (12-10-7, 43 points): Will the international break cool off an FC Dallas attack that has scored 11 goals in three consecutive matches without defeat? It likely won’t be easy with the host Fire desperate for a win. (10) New England Revolution (10-10-9, 39 points): Juan Fernando Caicedo gave the Revs a perfect start. But a pair of video reviews resulted in a 9th-minute red card to Antonio Delamea and a second-half stoppage time penalty kick decision in a 2-1 defeat at NYCFC. (14) New York Red Bulls (12-12-5, 41 points): Consecutive defeats have some in the Red Bulls’ fan base calling for Chris Armas’ head. Things don’t get any easier with road matches against the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers coming up next. (13) D.C. United (11-10-9, 42 points): D.C. United is in fourth place in the East, but their hold of the position is precarious with three points separating the Black-and-Red from a home playoff game and the playoff line. (15) Toronto FC (11-10-8, 41 points): The Reds weren’t messing around. Patrick Mullins, Nick DeLeon and Marky Delgado gave the visitors a 3-0 lead inside 28 minutes and Michael Bradley and Nicolas Benzet added second-half goals in a 5-1 rout of FC Cincinnati. (12) LA Galaxy (13-12-3, 42 points): The high-flying Galaxy enter Week 28 below the playoff line, albeit by a single point. Still, they face a challenging double-match week starting with a road contest against the resurgent Rapids. (18) Colorado Rapids (9-14-6, 33 points): Consecutive 2-0 wins have highlighted the start of the Robin Fraser-era in Colorado. The hero this time was rookie Andre Shinyashiki, who scored a goal in each half a week after Jonathan Lewis did the same in a 2-0 victory at the New York Red Bulls. (17) Montreal Impact (11-15-4, 37 points): The Impact are just two points below the playoff line in the East, but they have only four games remaining. That includes a must-win game at Stade Saputo against last-place FC Cincinnati Saturday. (16) Sporting Kansas City (10-12-7, 37 points): Sporting Kansas City’s late-season playoff push took a major hit Saturday night when they conceded twice in the final seven minutes to lose 2-1 to the Timbers. Benny Feilhaber scored the lone goal in the 65th minute. (19) Orlando City SC (9-13-8, 35 points): Nani erased the early deficit and Benji Michel gave the Lions a 2-1 lead. But the three points the Lions desperately needed were reduced to one with Rossi’s late goal. (20) Chicago Fire (8-12-10, 34 points): The Fire are still alive for the MLS Cup Playoffs, albeit barely. Anything but three points at home against FC Dallas could be Chicago’s death knell. (21) Columbus Crew SC (8-15-7, 31 points): Columbus stunned Atlanta for a 2-0 win at a rain-soaked MAPFRE Stadium early in the season. The Crew will need a similar outcome (sans the rain inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium of course) to remain in the playoff hunt in the East. (22) Houston Dynamo (9-15-4, 31 points): Davy Arnaud’s search for his first win as Dynamo interim manager continues with Houston hosting the Loons Wednesday before playing at Vancouver Saturday. (23) Vancouver Whitecaps FC (6-15-9, 27 points): It’s the battle to avoid the basement in the Western Conference with the Whitecaps hosting the Dynamo Saturday night. (24) FC Cincinnati (5-21-3, 18 points): Another cosmetic Emmanuel Ledesma goal closed out another rout as FC Cincinnati fell to Toronto FC for their fourth straight loss and eighth in nine consecutive games without a win.

Pro Soccer USA writers Dylan Butler, Julian Cardlillo, Marco Cummings, Chris Fuhrmeister, Robert Jonas and Emily Olsen contributed to this report.

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With just six games remaining in the regular season, the LA Galaxy head to Colorado to face the Rapids. Both teams sit below the playoff line, but the Galaxy are just one point out of the playoff picture. Here’s what you need to know heading into the match:

The Galaxy head into the match with a three game winless streak, with their last win coming on August 14 at home against FC Dallas. LA has a 13-12-3 record overall this season and a 4-8-2 record on the road.  The Colorado Rapids, however, are on a two game winning streak and are hoping to string together enough points to make their claim on a playoff spot. They sit in 10th in the Western Conference with 33 points and are not yet disqualified from the playoff picture.  All time against the Rapids, the Galaxy are 37-27-11 and 13-19-5 in Colorado. This season, Colorado is 7-6-2 at home, making this trip a tough test for the Galaxy. Both teams will have notable absences for this match, as the Galaxy have midfielders Sebastian Lletget and Jonathan Dos Santos still away to international duty, and Diego Polenta suspended due to yellow card accumulation. For the Rapids, Diego Rubio and Kei Kamara will be serving suspensions for this match. The Galaxy will be well rested heading into the match, with their last game being their frustrating 4-3 loss on Sept. 1 away to the Seattle Sounders. Colorado played during the international break in a 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders, with two goals from Andre Shinyashiki, who earned MLS player of the week honors for his role in that match. 

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The Colorado Rapids kicked off a two-game home stand and played their first home match of the Robin Fraser era Saturday night, hosting the Seattle Sounders. Andre Shinyashiki stole the show for Seattle, opening the scoring with his goal in the 41st minute to give Colorado a 1-0 lead. The onslaught continued for Colorado’s offense into the second half, culminating with a second Shinyashiki goal in the 70th minute. Seattle only generated five shots total in the loss, falling in the 2-0 defeat.

Here are three takeaways from Colorado’s 2-0 win over Seattle:

Finger Lickin’ Good

Andre Shinyashiki was tabbed as a Rookie of the Year candidate early in the season, and has continued to strengthen his case.

In addition to the brace, Shinyashiki had five total shots in the match and was praised for his pressing and holdup play by the new Rapids head coach.

“My reaction was — as I was replaying it very quickly in my head — it was like ‘that was brilliant,’” Fraser said of the first goal. “Jack [Price] played it across the field. We got Sam [Nicholson] in a one-v-one, he played it across the field and then with a good action at the other side of it, Andre and Jon [Lewis] show up. My first thought was, ‘How the hell did he get that in?’ It was really a great moment because they worked really hard for it. They put Seattle under pressure and hadn’t really got that reward yet. To get it late in the half, and the way they did it, through a lot of things that we talked about and worked on — several of them showed up in that moment. It was great, I was extremely excited.”

As for the bleached blonde look Shinyashiki debuted for the game? Most of his teammates weren’t fans.

“I wore it better,” Kellyn Acosta said postgame.

“No chance I’ll wear that hairdo,” added Nicolas Mezquida.

Mezquida Season

As is common with coaching changes, some players are gaining new life from change. One example is Mezquida, who earned his first start and full run of 90 minutes since June.

Working in tandem with Shinyashiki, Mezquida was also active and dangerous in the attacking third, with six shots and two on-target efforts. The Uruguayan could’ve scored if not for a save by Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei that Seattle coach Brain Schmetzer called a “save of the year” candidate.

“I was happy to start. I like it because I like to press,” Mezquida said of Fraser’s system. “There’s more options. I like to play with the ball at my feet, so that helps me a lot. I feel happy about it.”

Fraser called Mezquida “forward thinking” and said that’s a good thing for the team.

“He’s an aggressive, attack-minded player. Put that together with him being in a pretty aggressive, defensive stance, it turns out to be a very good performance,” Fraser said.

So fresh and so clean

Again filling in for an injured Tim Howard, Clint Irwin put in a good shift in relief, this time earning his first clean sheet of the season and his first clean sheet since re-joining Colorado

“It’s great,” said Irwin. “We really focus on being difficult to beat, and I thought we did a good job of defending high up the field. It made my job easy.”

During the win, Irwin faced only five shots but made two saves, including a key save late in the match to preserve the clean sheet.

“The struggles were from our side — I don’t think we played up to our potential,” Schmetzer said postgame.

The result marked the second 2-0 win under Fraser, so the Rapids have yet to concede under the new hire.

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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Robin Fraser-era remains perfect.

The Colorado Rapids earned their second-straight win under the new coach and first home win since Fraser’s hire, defeating the Seattle Sounders, 2-0 at Dicks Sporting Goods Park Saturday night.

“They just picked it up and ran with it,” Fraser said. “The front group did a really good job about bringing pressure higher up the field. The resiliency of the group is the first thing that jumps out to me.”

Sporting a fresh look of bleached blonde hair and matching mustache, Rapids striker Andre Shinyashiki tallied a brace in the win.

“My reaction as I was replaying it in my head was: That was brilliant,” said Fraser. “It was really a great moment because they had worked really hard for it.”

With at least 14 outfield players out due to a combination of international duty, injury and suspension, Seattle (13-9-7, 46 points) was forced to call up two players from its USL affiliate Tacoma Defiance. Six of the Sounders starting XI had seen less than 1,000 minutes this season, and Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer only brought 16 players for the road trip.

Colorado (9-6-14, 33 points) was also missing key contributors with top goal scorers Kei Kamara (Sierra Leone) and Diego Rubio (Chile) away on international duty. Starting goalkeeper Tim Howard (hamstring) was out due to injury.

But with a relatively inexperienced lineup, Seattle found itself under pressure early and often in the first half.

Colorado took a 1-0 lead on Shinyashiki’s first goal. On a cross from Sam Nicholson, Jonathan Lewis backheeled to Shinyashiki, who buried the effort near post in the 41st minute.

By the end of the first half, the Rapids dominated attacking play with 11 shots to the Sounders’ two, including four on-target efforts.

Lewis, who had a brace last week in a 2-0 win over the New York Red Bulls, nearly doubled Colorado’s lead in the 50th minute, but his effort was blocked by Sounders defender Jonathan Campbell. Nine minutes later, Lewis had another prime scoring opportunity, but his chipped effort missed wide of the mark.

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“Certainly, what Jon has done has been electrifying going forward in counterattack situations,” Fraser said of Lewis. “He and Sam both do a great job of making outside backs defend. Both have done a really great job in 1-v-1 situations and making us dangerous.”

Colorado eventually broke through for a second goal in the 69th minute on a counterattack. Nicholas Mezquida found Keegan Rosenberry, who dished it far post to Shinyashiki, as the rookie scored his second goal of the night.

“I think Andre gave us some great holdup play early,” Fraser said. “Him and Nico [Mezquida] made it predictable not just for each other but for the rest of the group.”

In a losing effort, Stefan Frei came up with five saves on 22 shots by Colorado.

On the other end of the pitch, Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin earned his first clean sheet of the season and his first since re-joining Colorado from Toronto in December.

Despite the loss, Seattle remains second in the West and will return to CenturyLink Field to host the Red Bulls next Sunday. Colorado will play the second of a two-match home stand, hosting LA Galaxy Wednesday.

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